After the spell Kayn casted and seeing his oppening... he swung to deal a fatal blow to the longsword user only to here a clash of metal. Looking up, he saw the other longsword user blocking Kayn's attack on the somewhat charred merc.

Slight sparks flickered between their blades and the sound of grinding metal pricked at his ears. Kayn glanced at the side to see the longsword user he just burned getting up.

("Oh no... if I can't get this guy off me in time... I'm finished.")

No sooner did the thought cross his mind did Wargolth slam into the longsword user that was keeping Kayn at bay.

"What the?!" ("Where on earth did he come from? And... is that... Ende?... I haven't really even seen them since the fight with the jotun. Reguardless, their help is welcomed.")

It was then that he noticed the burnt swordsman land a blow on Wargolth.

"Damnit... I didn't think he'd recover that quickly."

Kayn jumped over to Wargolth's side as the two longsword users seemed to have paired off as well. But no sooner did the four warriors take their possitions did a familiar tune dance through the air. Kayn dared to chance looking to the side to see William, once again, aiding the entire party. With this sence of new vigor, Kayn looked over at Wargolth and gave him a nod associated with a grin and darted for the burned longsword user.

Kayn muttered under his breath, "Force Strike." He's weak, almost to the point to where he can't stand. This should be more than enough finish him off...

Bael fell to the floor, gnashing his teeth in pain, as the spell hit him. He felt his entire body burn as though covered in acid for a few seconds. It caused more pain than damage; Bael knew that attacks designed like that were supposed to unbalance the opponent psychologically. Or, in other words, drive him mad with pain.

But Bael had training and he would withstand whatever amounts of pain he should suffer.

But then came the healing spell, and the pain was gone, and the wound were gone, except for superficial scratches.

The abuse of his body by two magic spells in a row was too much for Bael, and he couldn't stop throwing his head back and screaming. A high, long scream that soared through the dusk sky.

Bael tried his best to regain his composure and get up, gripping his halberd even tighter than before. COmpletely oblivious to William's presence by him, Bael saw the crippled axe wielder charge towards someone, and his battle senses again took over.

He spun, driving the blade of the halberd directly toward the charging man's belly.

Even as he was magically enthralled into a dreamlike state, such as what always happened when casting white magic, the elf swordsman was thinking it almost hopeless that his spell would not even save Bael in time. Having taken two spells at close range like that would have certainly killed even some veteran warriors like Bael probably was. He sighed with relief when he saw the terribly rent flesh on the man's back almost vanishing entirely, and thought it lucky that, in hindsight, such a spell had struck him in the back rather than an unguarded face.

When the drowsiness faded away completely from his mind, the elf blinked at the sound of an enraged scream, and he turned his head to see the axeman from before, vainly holding his weapon in an untrained right hand as he dragged it nearly all the way to the ground, charging recklessly at a seemingly unsuspecting Ende. Before the elf could even shout a warning, Bael had long scrambled back up from where he had been bent over on his knees and was running like mad with weapon raised towards the axeman, trying to intercept him in time.

Seems I miss calculated my attack, but nothing to worry about. Even if he gets to me, he is too weak and injured to lay a finger on me. Seems like Bael has something planned for the oaf. Just as a precaution I'll have my spear aimed at his throat.

@ Kayn - As you charge forward the burned swordsmen smiles, parries your attack, and leaps backwards into a crouch. He sweeps his hand over his blade and a loud crackle emits from it. A flash appears from the corner of your eye just before the second swordsman slashes across your back. A split second later the burned swordsman flashes as well, streaking past you in the blink of an eye to deliver a gaping wound to your side.

Kayn HP: 4/10

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@Bael, William, and Ende

As William moves to intercept the axe user, Bael whirls to slice the man in half, while Ende thrust his spear forward. Bael's blade catches the man in the gut, slashing deep and lodging into ribs, while Ende's thrust pierces the man high in the chest. Blood is literally spurting everywhere. The axe user is stopped dead in his tracks. And then a blindly light flashes out of his eyes and he whirls, catching Bael with his axe and spinning the warrior into Ende, and then into William. The blow sends all three flying several feet back to land hard on the ground. Unfortunately for the Axe user Ende's spear and Bael's halberd create quite an amount of tension while still in the hands of their wielders and it literally rips the man in half, severing his abdomen and spinal cord and leaving his body in two broken pieces.

Axe user HP: 0/18

Bael HP: 8/11

William HP: 7/9

Ende HP: 5/8

Urgh... I wasn't expecting anything like that. These aren't your run of the mill ruffians. Quite a bit was taken out of me thanks to that trick. Best for me to keep my distance.

Ende watches the fight Kayn is in and decides to intervene. He throws his spear at the swordsman, from a distance. Then follows up with blasting several bolts at the spear itself.

William could scarcely comprehend the brutality that accompanied the axe wielder's ultimate demise, nor could he understand the kind of bloodlust in the man that could drive him to continue trying to fight despite already having the hand he fought with taken off. ... But, there was nothing he could do for a warrior that now lie in three broken pieces, thanks to the combined migt of Bael and Ende. William remembered thinking to himself, at the moment he had stood up from where he was in intense concentration on the healing spell to see Bael and Ende sweep through the enraged axeman with their weapons from opposite directions, that he secretly hoped that his two comrades had not had such cruelty in them that they had deliberately intended to cause such an awful death for the handless stranger, and that it was only an accident that resulted from Ende's haste to save Bael in time.

There were still three of the five strangers in black who were still up and fighting, as far as the elf could tell. Upon hearing a cry from what sounded very much like Kayn, William, without even turning to see if he was in trouble, reacting out of pure instinct, immediately redrew his sword and dashed in the direction of the sound. He caught of glimpse of the dark elf staggering away from a larger shadow, vainly clutching his side at an horrendous wound as blood cascaded easily between his fingertips and splattered the ground around him, as he ran past, ... and then saw his target.

No doubt it was the blurry shadow near Kayn that was responsible for grievously hurting him, and there was a large boulder nestled into the ground just behind him. ... No doubt this would be difficult to pull off, since the fight with Jotun earlier that day had been the only time William had even attempted such a dangerous sword skill, and he hadn't exactly had time to train himself in using it since. William flew on light elven feet, causing a sound as soft as though it were nothing more than a few autumn leaves wisping along the ground instead of someone's footsteps, towards the rock, hoping to be so fast that even his attacker, who would be within perfect striking distance, would not notice and be able to stop him in time.
He did not notice whether the sword user in black had even seen him or not as William swept a few feet past him. He flew upon the boulder, stopped for but a split second, and propelled himself backward off of the springs of his left ankle and into the air above the stranger. He tucked his sword close to his back, and held a breath in anticipation to strike with the hilt upon the back of the man's head at just the right time so as to use the full momentum in his sword-wielding hand.

"... Falcon drive!"

As Kayn blasts forth, his suprise could only be seen as natrual as his target... though battle-worn, was able to evade the attack. There was no time to catch his barings as a blade bit into the flesh of Kayn's back. Kayn didn't even have enough time to howl in pain as the second stroke landed on his side.

Kayn fell to his knees and leaned on a fist... his weapon still in hand, amazingly. He quickly stood up, still somewhat in shock of the attack. He placed his hand on his side only to feel a very warm feeling completely cover his hand. Upon looking at it, he saw nothing but crimson. It was at this moment that the pain really started to set in. Kayn wenced horribly, trying not to cry out from the pain racking his torso. ("I have to calm down...") Kayn placed his hand on his side again to try to stop the floow of blood... but still not able to do anything for his back. ("If I get too excited... I'll just lose more blood.")

Kayn tried his best to relax his body... even amist the battle. Kayn closed his eyes and began to feel around with the power that's was passed to him by his father. Eventually, two figures of light became visible. It was the two who just attacked him. One was directly behind him and the other just off to the side... it felt as if they were getting ready for another attack.

Kayn breathed deeply. This had to work, if not... this may be the end of Kayndar.

Bael watched as Kayn was wounded. The man bled awfully and panted. No matter how you looked at it, the loss of a battle mate was always a bad thing.

Bael filled his lungs with air, concentrated for a few moments and let out a sudden cry:
"Stand strong!"
It wasn't just a normal voice. It was a voice charged with energy and confidence. It was the kind of voice used by mythical heroes of old to inspire their troops for coming fights. It had substance. It wasn't magical, but it could change the world.

To everyone, it sounded like a powerful and confident cry. But for Kayn, the sound had an effect in obscure parts of his brain and thus in his body, increasing his defense and magical defense for an amount of time.

[spoiler]To the GM: use Barrier on Kayn. ^^[/spoiler]

The two swordsmen brace themselves, both intent on Kayn, and start to glow. They seem like they are about to repeat their attack.

But then a bright light flashes around Kayn, and the swordsmen pause. A split second later Ende's magic missiles connect with his spear, bursting in forward, but tilting it down. William falls through the air above a swordsman, spinning and screaming "Falcon Drive" right before Ende's spear connects with the mans right calve. The spear immediatly pushes the man to his knees, causing William's aim to go awry, causing his long blade to slice down across the swordsman's abdomen, cutting deep into the mans flesh and spurting blood forward onto William. The man dies almost instantly, disintegrating into a pile of dust. The other swordsman disintegrates as well.

----------------------

Battle complete!

Exp. = 4

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OOC - Sorry about all the dropping out...I know everyone probably fed up with it...gonna give this one more try for anyone who wants to play. If no-one does then I'll kill it...If I leave again I'll kill it as well so no-one has to sit around and wait again. Just post if you'd like to continue.

Remember the battle is over but there is still one enemy standing near the shoreline.

OOC: With you 'til the end, buddy.

Seeing the two attackers, Kayn opened his eyes. Only once before had he come so close to death. Reflecting on it, he saw how the allies whom he just met only a few days ago came to his aid. A slight twinge of feeling slowly built up in Kayn. Could it be he was sligtly humbled by this fact?

Kayn looked down only to see that he was still holding his side. His sleeve was completely sloaked in blood. At that side, the adrinaline left him from the fight and the appropriate pain began to settle into place. Kayn tried as best as he could to lower himself to the ground. Even still, he may be in trouble from bloodloss. Kayn talked one of the packhorses over and retrieved some bandages in an attempt to at least stop the bleeding and be able to walk with the others. The little he knew of healing magic just might be enough to recover before what ever evil waits for them in the future.

While awkwardly trying to treat the lasseration back, he noticed the last of their attackers off near the edge of the shore. Unable to do anything about it, he finished bandaging himself up. Even with the job he did, blood still managed it's way through the the gause. Calling over his horse, he gengerly eased himself up onto the animals back. He sat silently and let the others deal with the last of the mercenaries as he began to concentrate on healing his wounds.

"Wha..." Jerod mumbled as he sat up. What was he doing on top of some hill? Where were all the dwarves, his dwarven dad, the snow? And then he remembered. He wasn't just having a bad dream. He was living one.

He remembered seeing th Jotun, and passing out when he saw its tree trunk weapon. He was releaved the Jotun didn't smash him while he was unconsious. But wait... where are the others? He began shouting their names one by one. William?! Kayn!? Anybody!!!!!!????

Then he looked over his shoulder, and nearly fainted again for what he saw. The Jotun's corpse. HHHEEEEEEEEEEELLPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!

A slow clap resounds across the road as the shortsword wielder smacks his hands together.

"Well done. Well done indeed." He seems honestly impressed. "But, I'm afraid this little game has gone on long enough. Makras come forth!'

From the waves behind the man dark creatures begin to rise. Shelled, with giant pinchers, and mutliple legs, the Makras inch from the water, skooting hesistantly at first, then skuttling quickly toward the party.

With most weary and Kayn severly wounded the situation seems grim at best. The Makras has cut of the road going both ways and the party is cornered on the niegh impenetrable mountains at their backs.

Lifth, for the first time, actually seems uncertain as to the outcome of this journey.

Kayn jerk in the direction from the first resounding clap. but regretted it almost instantly as pain streaked from his side, up through his back.

"Well done. Well done indeed." He seems honestly impressed. "But, I'm afraid this little game has gone on long enough. Makras come forth!'

With little change in facial expression, Kayn watched as the crab-like creature emerged into view. No sooner could Kayn grasp what was heading towards him before it started making a move towards him and the rest of the party. Instinctively, Kayn jumped from his horse to better defend himself with his back aginst the craggy wall. But from the second Kayn's feet hit the ground, he realized how much of a mistake he had made. Blood began too seep through the bandage. Kayn winced greatly and grabbed his side. He looked over at Lifth, who was finally starting to waver from her normal iron clad emtions. It was then that Kayn realized that it was getting a bit harder to focus on things.... but reguardless, he pulled out his weapon, holding it in one hand only. The other is supporting his side that refuses to stop bleeding. All Kayn could do is try to buy time for the others. And if that was what it would take... fine. At least he could keep his honor.

"NOOOO! Not them! Anything, but them... those damned creatures have been burned into my memory... Argh! My head... it hurts so much... dammit all..."

*Ende passes out*

... " 'Little game', huh?" The young elf repeated to himself, sword still in hand and held out in alarmed aggression toward these new opponents who had dropped in on the heroes' short-lived victory over the five armed strangers. With the back of his free hand he brushed away some of the blood that had spattered into his left eye from the fatal wound he had inadvertantly inflicted upon the sword user who had been on the verge of dealing a death blow to the dark elf, Kayn. "What an arrogant bastard," he continued softly, glancing down at the blood on his hand from where he had brushed it out of one temporarily blinded eye, half in thought, half in awed fear that he possessed that kind of strength as to nearly rend a skilled swordsman with a much bigger frame than the little elf's in two. There's nothing funny about any of this at all."

William glanced left, then right, and finally back at the man in the middle who had seemed to have some sort of supernatural affinity for these warped-looking fiends he had called from the murky depths of the water behind him. Monsters, the elf thought with an inward sigh. If it wasn't homicidal mercenaries who would hack anything to pieces for a quick buck, there would be no rest before even fouler beings of darkness would come to greet us.

At the sound of heavy breathing, the elf swordsman, while keeping a sidelong glance aimed at the enemies gathered at the opposite side of the seaside road just ten or so yards away, turned to his side to see the only other elf in the group, Kayn, on his knees and bleeding from seemingly just about every joint in his body. Ende did not appear to be doing much better, either, for he was just a few feet away from the dark elf, looking as though he would soon pass out from exhaustion - perhaps mental as well as physical - due to the previous fight.

As with what William had seen Bael be struck with earlier in the fight and still live, it was amazing to see that Kayn was still breathing at all at this point. But, fortunately, the forest elf had already seen his abilities in the healing art completely absolve some pretty grievous injuries. If they could all only do something about the forboding stranger at the edge of the road and his pet monsters first, because William had no doubt in his mind that he would never be able to concentrate enough magical power to keep death at bay for Kayn before either the man or any of the hellish creatures with him came close enough to cut short the life of one defenseless forest elf while he was on the verge of casting a spell. Blast, William thought in frustration. How are any of us going to get out of this mess alive, now?

Huh? What is all of that noise? Lausen gets up from his make shift bed under a mountain tree and starts to search the mountainous area.

“Agh! What’s going on down there?â€

The Makras close in around the party and a man appears from the mountains attempting to usher them to safety. The Makras surge forward intent on catching their prey.


------------

Maybe you guys should listen to this man and head up the trail, doesn't look like you have many other choices.

At the sound of this new voice, William glanced back and up behind him at the person standing calmly above them all atop a small cliff, even as the hapless elf still held out his Northern Longblade toward the group of unknown enemies across the seaside road, afraid to take both sword and eyes away from their general direction. He beckoned for the forest elf and his comrades to escape while he held the attention of their enemies, then made good on the veracity of his spoken intentions by leaping down and parrying a blow that one of the bolder monsters summoned from the nearby water had aimed at a defenseless - and, unfortunately, comatose - Ende.

It normally would have been against William's better judgment to trust the good will of someone who had appeared before himself and the other heroes in the dark of night just as mysteriously as the tall man with his grotesque band of humanoid crustaceans had, but at this point in the long and arduous fight against evil that tonight had seen, the forest elf found that he really no longer even cared. At least if the man on the cliff was only intending to lead them all into certain doom, William knew he would have a better chance at fighting one person who still looked to be human rather than one human and several lagoonish monsters with bodies seemingly encased in stone and risen from the murky depths of the sea.

William knew that grave solemnity had scarcely disappeared from his boyish elven face in the last several days that followed his first meeting with the Midgard king, and it certainly would not at this moment, either. "All right, we'll come with you," the elf said, and nodded in consent.